USA Update

WITH Christmas just a week away, the high street is full of sparkly and pretty outfits for the big day.

And oversized bows are proving just as on-trend as trusty sequins this year.

Andrew Barr

We did a Christmas haul from River Island[/caption]

Andrew Barr

This velvet dress is the perfect bloat-friendly option for Christmas Day[/caption]

Andrew Barr

The oversized bow is a gorgeous detail[/caption]

Even better, floaty styles are in which means comfy dresses that are bloat-friendly for all the Christmas dinner, trimmings and cocktails.

I decided to put some of the new festive fashion arrivals to the test alongside my work bestie, Lynn, to see if they suit all figures.

I’m 33, plus-sized and petite with big boobs while my 44-year-old friend Lynn is a slim size 10.

Together, we launched our For EveryBODY campaign to find some of the best looks from the high street to see what looks great on all shapes.

We scour the supermarkets and high street stores for outfits that flatter both of our ages and shapes and to see if there really is something for every body.

On our hunt for some show-stopping buys for our Christmas special, we were invited along to the newly refurbished River Island store on Glasgow’s Argyle Street.

And we found two incredible dresses that are both priced under £50.

First up, we bagged a Black Bow Back Sequin Mini Dress for £49.

The frock is available in sizes small, medium and large and has an oversized fit.

This generous sizing came in handy as they didn’t have a large in store. Instead, at a size 18, I picked up a medium which was a perfect ‘regular’ fit. Lynn, meanwhile, went for the small and had the full oversized, swing style effect.

A gorgeous satin bow fastening at the back really elevates this dress from a basic sequins piece. It’s very well lined too, which means no annoying itchiness from the sparkles.

Since my dress sat slightly shorter due to sizing, we paired it with tights and chunky boots – but it can be easily dressed up with heels too.

Next up, we took the satin bow one step further with a stunning Black Velvet Back Bow Mini Dress.

This one was even more cost-effective, priced at £45, and fitted like a glove in our true to size picks.

The sleeveless frock is a flattering A-line shape, meaning it skims over and lumps and bumps.

But it is the plunging back with long satin bow detail that makes it a gorgeous LBD addition to your wardrobe.

This dress can easily transition from Christmas to New Year’s Eve too, so you’ll get more value for your money by whirling it out on both occassions.

ARNE SLOT will have enjoyed the shelter of Southampton’s press box, but he will not have been sitting comfortably.

The Liverpool manager, in the stands due to suspension, watched as his much changed side had to hang on to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Reuters

Arne Slot watched victory from the stands[/caption]

Rex

Liverpool are into the semi-finals[/caption]

Southampton had looked to be waving the holders through to the last four after a tepid first half.

It had not been much better than the performance against Tottenham on Sunday which got Russell Martin sacked.

Liverpool took advantage, with Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott giving them a comfortable lead.

But changes at the break and a step up from Saints made for a tense second half – sparked by Cameron Archer’s strike.

Simon Rusk, the Under-21s coach who only arrived in the summer, was given the ‘privilege’ of stepping in as interim following Martin’s sacking.

It is not an attractive job for many coaches, but fans will at least take comfort that Rusk got them showing some fight – eventually.

The former Brighton, Nottingham Forest and England youth coach named a strong side given there is little need to save players for their doomed Premier League campaign.

Slot had left seven first team regulars, including Mohammed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, on Merseyside.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

Van Dijk’s absence and Ibrahima Konate being injured meant midfielder Wataru Endo started at centre-back, while teenager Trey Nyoni was handed a full debut.

If Martin was watching from home, he would not have liked that the first action without him in the dugout was a lumped ball forwards from kick-off.

While that drew some ironic cheers, there was soon a sign that Southampton’s woes had not all been down to Martin as more mistakes – and the rank weather – combined to give Liverpool the open.

Trent Alexander-Arnold, captain on the night, spun away from Matheus Fernandes deep in his own half and looked to thread a left-footed ball through for Nunez.

Jan Bednarek swung a leg at the pass and sent the ball looping towards his own goal, dropping in acres of space for the Liverpool striker.

Alex McCarthy dropped instead of coming out to engage Nunez and slipped on the greasy surface, making it easy for the Uruguayan to finish before cocking his ear to the home fans – who had been calling him a “s*** Andy Carroll”.

The goal saw Southampton drop, in an effort to avoid crumbling like they did against Spurs, and afforded Liverpool control.

But this Southampton defence is one of the most obliging in Europe and, despite having one bank of five and another of four ahead, still left gaps.

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Darwin Nunez opened the scoring[/caption]

PA

Trent Alexaner-Arnold embraces Nunez[/caption]

Cody Gakpo drifted into one of those, before exchanging passes with Endo and feeding Elliott.

The tenacious midfielder controlled well and saw his shot take a slight deflection off Ryan Manning before nestling in the back of the net.

Their progress had been so straightforward in the first half that Slot decided to hook Alexander-Arnold, who had been dictating, at the break.

Another one resting up, as Federico Chiesa was sent on for some precious minutes while Joe Gomez was also given the second half off.

But Southampton hit back, in comical and clinical fashion.

The lively Fernandes looked to thump a ball forwards but sent it square into Endo’s face.

With the Japanese midfield starry-eyed on the floor the ball fell for Archer, who cut inside Jarrell Quansah and Tyler Morton before lashing into the far post.

St. Mary’s was suddenly alive and would have erupted if, two minutes later, Archer had managed to convert a far easier chance.

Rex

Harvey Elliot scored the deciding goal[/caption]

AFP

It sent the Reds through[/caption]

Sub Yuki Sugawara bent a cross into the small striker, whose soft touch allowed Kelleher to save before Morton hooked clear. Neither should have been given a chance.

Despite being tested, Liverpool continued to hook the experienced figures as Alexis Mac Allister and then Gakpo were replaced.

Amidst the wind and rain there was a sense that, despite all their failings, Southampton had a chance here.

They were much improved and caused continuous problems.

Liverpool had the opportunity to extinguish that hope, but Taylor Harwood-Bellis recovered to block from Chiesa on the line – as he would do in added time.

Rusk sent on towering striker Paul Onuachu, who within seconds had pinched the ball from Nyoni but could not take advantage of the break.

The striker, dubbed Tall Paul, should have grabbed a leveller when meeting Kamaldeen Sulemana’s cross, but miss-hit and wasted the opportunity.

The hosts rained long throws and corners into their box and had a huge injury time penalty shout waved away as Quansah dragged down Fernandes.

Liverpool were now the ones looking ropey, but just about managed to hang on.

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Cameron Archer pulled one back late[/caption]

Rex

There was late hope for the Saints[/caption]

ARSENAL have beaten Crystal Palace 3-2 to reach the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

Gabriel Jesus scored a stunning second-half hat-trick as the Gunners fought back in some style after going a goal down early after Jean-Philippe Mateta’s strike.

Former Gunner Eddie Nketiah netted a late header to set up a thrilling finale, but the hosts held on and will be in tomorrow’s draw for the final four.

• Kick-off time: 7.30pm GMT
• Live stream: NOW TV
• TV channel: Sky Sports Main Event
• Arsenal starting team: Raya; Partey, Timber, Kiwior, Tierney; Jorginho, Merino, Nwaneri; Sterling, Trossard, Jesus
• Palace starting team: Henderson; Guehi, Chalobah, Lacroix; Kporha, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta

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Follow ALL the action from the Emirates with our live blog below…

BIZARRE texts sent by the mom of missing child Madalina Cojocari shortly before her daughter’s disappearance have added a further twist to the already sinuous story.

Madalina’s mother, Diana Cojocari, reportedly demanded cash from Madalina’s friends in return for playdates, according to someone who knew her well.

Cornelius Police Department

Madalina Cojocari has been missing for two years[/caption]

Mecklenburg County Detention Center

Her mother, Diana Cojocari, left the US for her native Moldova earlier this year[/caption]

Dee Delgado for the U.S. Sun

Madalina Cojocari’s grandmother holds up pictures of her granddaughter[/caption]

Cojocari family friend Leanne Stefan said her granddaughter played with Madalina for almost three years before her disappearance.

Madalina, an 11-year-old schoolgirl, vanished from her home in Cornelius, North Carolina, two years ago.

She was last seen getting off a school bus outside her home in November 2022.

The Cornelius Police Department gave an update last month on the occasion of the second anniversary of Madalina’s disappearance.

Following her disappearance, both Madalina’s mother and her stepfather, Christopher Palmiter, were charged with failing to report her missing.

Both have denied the charges against them, and the case remains unsolved.

In September 2024, cops confirmed Diana had left the US and returned to her native Moldova after being released from jail.

Palmiter remains on probation.

In a fresh insight into the case, Leanne Stefan spoke about her interactions with Madalina and her mother before her disappearance.

Leanne’s granddaughter played with Madalina at least once a week when the two girls were between the ages of 8 and 10.

The pair met at school and lived down the street from each other.

Leanne visited Madalina’s house several times to drop off and pick up her granddaughter, describing the house as full of toys and doll houses.

“Never once did I suspect anything,” she told local CBS affiliate WBTV.

But there was one odd characteristic about Madalina’s family that made her suspicious.

Leanne’s granddaughter was allowed to go over to Madalina’s house for playdates, but Madalina could never visit her house.

She said Diana told her she didn’t “trust” the situation, adding that she seemed “very protective.”

Leanne chalked it up to the parents being “overly cautious” but said that they seemed like the perfect family otherwise.

But almost three years into the girls’ friendship, Diana brought things to a sudden halt.

Leanne received a text from Diana accusing her of taking advantage of the couple.

She said the text “said something along the lines of, ‘I feel like you’re taking advantage of me because you don’t pay me.'”

Leanne thought there must be a misunderstanding. So when she went to Diana’s house to pick up her granddaughter, she spoke to her face-to-face.

“I said, ‘Diana, you know… we don’t need you as a babysitter. I thought the girls were just playing.'”

But Diana responded that Leanne was “‘taking advantage of me because I’m from another country,'” she said.

Leanne was left with the heartwrenching task of explaining to her stepdaughter why she couldn’t play with her friend anymore.

They have since moved out of the neighborhood, but Leanne says her stepdaughter still asks her about Madalina sometimes.

A $25,000 reward is still being offered for any information that leads to an arrest and conviction in connection with the disappearance.

The Cornelius Police Department did not respond immediately to The U.S. Sun’s requests for comment.

WCCB

Madalina Cojocari’s stepfather Christopher Palmiter remains on probation over failing to report her missing[/caption]

FANS of Steve Harvey are fuming after an apparent artificial intelligence-generated article claimed the beloved Family Feud host died.

Dozens of fanatics of the renowned entertainer, 67, took to social media with a screenshot of a push notification they received from the NewsBreak App announcing Harvey’s death.

Getty

Newsbreak is a popular app that provides smartphone users with the latest news and foreign affairs from different news publications.

In this case, Harvey’s fake death announcement came from the online website Trend Cast News.

The byline of the article read “Future Tech Prediction.”

“I woke up to this Steve Harvey passed ‘news’ and just reading the headline, I knew it was bs but bro,” one person wrote and shared a screengrab of the push notification.

“This NewsBreak app just posts/shares anything. I have a love hate relationship with this app.

“They want to be credible but allow whatever.”

A second fumed, “Gmorn’n did anyone else wake up to Steve Harvey passed away news and it was a spam or virus link.”

“Nearly had a stroke when I got news that Steve Harvey passed away,” another said.

Harvey has not responded to the death rumors but has been active on X, sharing his usual motivational content with his 6.1 million followers.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun

MORE than $20 billion in uncashed paychecks and refunds are waiting to be claimed by unknowing Americans.

Americans are sitting on billions in unclaimed property from uncashed checks from corporations, financial institutions, banks, and insurance companies, among other sources.

Getty Images - Getty

Getty Images - Getty

One in seven Americans are owed money through an uncashed paycheck, refund, or deposit, according to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administration (NAUPA).

The NAUPA recommends that Americans review their annual update or six other websites.

MISSING MONEY

One website, Missingmoney.org, which is endorsed by the NAUPA, commits to effectively directing unclaimed money to its rightful owners.

It uses a “multi-state database platform” to search and claim forgotten funds.

The website states the average claim value is $2,080.

Americans who believe they may be owed or are missing money can visit Missing Money’s website or unclaimed.org.

Next, if it is determined they are owed money, users must submit a free claim through the platform.

Finally, if accepted, the user must connect to the state to securely transfer the funds.

BUREAU OF THE FISCAL SERVICE

Another website to visit to find unclaimed money is the US Department of Treasury.

However, the federal agency underscored that it maintains its records and has no government-wide centralized database on unclaimed government assets.

TREASURY DIRECT

In 2000, the Department of the Treasury launched Treasury Hunt, a website where users could search for “matured, uncashed savings bonds.”

The bonds must be over 30 years old and no longer earn interest.

IRS REFUND

Those looking for information on a missing federal tax refund can visit the IRS Refunds page.

Users need a social security or taxpayer ID number, filing status, and the exact refund amount on the return in question to search for the funds.

WORKERS OWED WAGES

The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has a program that conducts investigations that recover wages owed to employees.

Users can search on the department’s website to see if there is unpaid money in their name.

If users are owed money, they must file a claim through the platform to retrieve them.

US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING

Finally, the US Department of Housing established the HUD Refunds program to allow users to check their eligibility for a refund from the Department of Housing and Urban Development or the Federal Housing Association.

FOX NFL Sunday is working double duty this week, and some of its stars are missing out on the main show.

Fox is hosting a special Saturday football game on top of their Sunday games.

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Fox NFL Sunday is airing two shows this weekend[/caption]

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Jimmy Johnson will only be present for one of the shows[/caption]

Due to the two days of football, Fox NFL Sunday will air a pregame show on Saturday and Sunday this week.

On Saturday, the show will start at 4:00 pm ET.

The show is preceding the 4:30 pm matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens.

That preshow will feature Curt Menefee, Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, Michael Strahan, Jimmy Johnson, and Jay Glazer.

The Sunday preshow will kick off at its usual 12:00 pm ET start and air for an hour.

It will be nearly the exact same crew, except Johnson Will be swapped out with Rob Gronkowski.

Fox has not given a reasoning as to why Johnson won’t be available for both shows this weekend.

NBC is also facing double duty this weekend, as they are hosting the Saturday matchup between the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs as well as Sunday Night Football.

Their pregame show, Football Night in America, will be broadcast at noon on Saturday.

The pregame show will also be held on Sunday before Sunday Night Football.

On top of the NFL games, there are also the opening College Football Playoff games being played.

SMU is playing Penn State, Clemson is playing Texas, and Tennessee is playing Ohio State.

With five football games being played on Saturday, the schedule looks like this:

• Noon – SMU at Penn State
• 1:00 pm – Texans at Chiefs
• 4:00 pm – Clemson at Texas
• 4:30 pm – Steelers at Ravens
• 8:00 pm – Tennessee at Ohio State

Football fans are excited for the jam-packed schedule and shared their thoughts on social media.

“One hell of a Winter Solstice right here,” one fan said.

“What a glorious day. I can’t wait!” another fan said.

“Football Solstice. Need new batteries for all my remotes,” a third fan said.

“I always prayed for times like these!” a fourth fan said.

“Definitely not leaving the house,” a fifth fan said.

TRAVIS Kelce revealed a clue about his eventual retirement from the NFL after the Kansas City Chiefs’ victory against the Cleveland Browns.

The nine-time Pro Bowl NFL tight end hasn’t impressed fans when it comes to his play on the field.

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The Kansas City Chiefs star seen warming up before the Week 15 game against the Cleveland Browns[/caption]

During his New Heights podcast, Travis Kelce spoke about the Chiefs’ win on the road in Cleveland.

The 35-year-old grew up in Cleveland Heights and admitted that he isn’t sure “if it’s the last time” he’ll play in the Ohio city as his 12th season in the NFL continues.

“It felt so surreal. I don’t know if it’s the last time I’ll play in Cleveland but it kinda felt like I was giving it one last hoorah before I’m done because I’ve only played there twice in 12 years,” Kelce told his brother and co-host Jason Kelce.

He continued, saying Sunday’s game “was a special day for me personally.”

Kelce recorded just four catches for 27 yards at Huntington Bank Field.

The three-time Super Bowl champion hasn’t exactly wowed on the stat sheet consistently this season like in years past, posting over 70 receiving yards in a game just four times in 14 games.

Kelce also only has two receiving touchdowns.

The Chiefs have still managed to win 13 of their first 14 games of the campaign.

And Kelce is on pace for his fourth 100-plus reception season.

Recently, retirement rumors have been in the air concerning Kelce as he and Kansas City look to win their third straight Super Bowl title.

The boyfriend of music icon Taylor Swift was asked about possibly leaving the game of football in the not-so-distant future during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show in September.

“I’m still enjoying coming to work. I’m not dreading practice,” Kelce said.

“I’m just having so much fun and just so appreciative and so fortunate that I’ve been able to come into year 12 and still have this energy and this love and the ability to get to work.”

Kelce and the Chiefs will have the tough task of playing three games in 10 days.

After beating the Browns over the weekend on December 15, they will host the Houston Texans on Saturday, and then face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day.

Kansas City can clinch the No. 1 spot in the AFC with two wins in their final three games.

The Chiefs’ season-finale game will be against the Denver Broncos on Sunday, January 5.

The squad hopes to have the injured Patrick Mahomes suit up this weekend.

Mahomes practiced fully on Tuesday and Wednesday after suffering a mild high-ankle sprain in Week 15.

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Kelce looks on as he leaves the field after the 21-7 victory over the Browns[/caption]

Dungey, who also runs WBD's TV studios, will add oversight of its U.S. TV networks following the retirement of Kathleen Finch.

Imported from Paris, the Folies became the longest-running show in Vegas history. Following the destruction of its iconic home — the Hotel Tropicana — the revue's mastermind reflects on its legacy.